First day at Westwood Animal Hospital

9 a.m. Arrived today expecting to answer phones and file, but Lynn sent me directly to the barn, where Dr. Wise and Patsy (vet tech) were finishing a lavage on a drk brn TB mare, “Tess,” whose foal had died in utero the day before. (Called for Rob to bring my boots.) Helped hold the horse, turned her out, helped Dr. Clayton treat another horse’s eye who had torn the lid (eye cloudy, blue) with several ophthalmic ointments/antibio, helped x-ray “Bandit” (gray App. Gelding, 28) who was having problems with his stifle. Boots arrived (yay Rob!), then rode along with Dr. Wise on farm calls: calf who had a pH problem in the rumin (bolused her), mare who needed Coggins test (also had a flat sarcoid tumor, for which Dr. Wise prescribed Exteria topical)/foundered gelding observed, 9 Pekingese dogs who were inoculated (one with seborrhea, which I now know has a distinctive odor).

Stopped for lunch at “Thomas House” on Dingledine Lane near the Dayton Farmer’s Market for some tasty country cooking. (Also passed by Edelweiss German restaurant in Staunton—something to try?)

Returned to hospital to await a fancy bay QH mare heavy in foal (impregnated by AI to a high-priced stallion from TX). Bedded her stall heavily with straw, then lightly bedded two other stalls for additional horses to stay in overnight. Brought them in, groomed Tess, who was shy on her left side and kicking a bit—colic? Fecal revealed lots of worms. (Patsy pulled the sample from the stall, put it in a vial with Fecasol, an agent to bring any eggs to the surface for viewing under the microscope, then made the slide.) Dr. Wise also ordered CBC and a shot of Banamine.

The pregnant mare arrived with cervix still dilated only about three fingers; she had been leaking/streaming milk for three days, so no colostrum. (Patsy tracked some down and went to pick it up.) They induced labor with a shot of oxytocin IM every 20 mins., and she delivered a tiny colt about an hour later, after they broke her water and pulled the foal out by hand when she reached full dilation. (Progression: As I held her and scratched her, “Sadie” started to get very warm, steam started coming off her shoulders (back to stall so she could move freely, then out again as things got farther along), head shaking, flemen, stifles shaking, squirting amniotic fluid with contractions, Dr. Clayton cut sac and splash! Fluids everywhere. Explosive expulsion of manure. Baby presented and all the docs were holding something: mom’s tail, sides of the vulva open, etc. Classic delivery with two hooves first, then a nose, and slowly the rest of the body. Three vets carried the foal to the stall, and Sadie followed behind, nickering.) We had a good bit of clean-up to do, scrubbing floors of blood, fluids, manure. Patsy arrived soon after the foal did, and Dr. Colter, Sr. gave him the colostrum via a nasal tube. Soon after, the mare stood and passed the placenta.

When I left tonight, the foal still hadn’t gotten up, and they were considering sending him and his mama over to a local neonatal for special care. Meanwhile, Tess was pawing in her stall and kicking some at her sides; Dr. Colter, Jr. was considering additional Banamine for her. Incidentally, they said today was kind of “slow,” but the foaling was unusual. End 6:30 p.m.